I Need A Hero
by Andimpink
Summary: Raylin Reddens is offered an opportunity from Nick Fury to save her mysteriously ill sister's life. She is hired as a paramedic and is sent on a mission with the Avengers as they look for the cure. Join her as she kicks butt with the Avengers, searches for the cure for her sister's illness, and finds love with a certain green rage monster... (BruceXOc)
1. Chapter 1

A/n: Hello there world. This story was never finished and I didn't like the way it was going, so I deleted it and now have rewritten it. It is a little different, but still close to the same idea that my friend, QueenofGeeks14, and I came up with. QueenofGeeks14, if you read this, don't worry. You and the other characters are still in the story. Anywhoozles, enjoy the story peeps!

Chapter 1

I remember that week she got sick. Gabby had to stay home every day feeling dizzy most the time and sleeping all day. At first it wasn't so bad, but as it grew out of control, I took her to the hospital. It has been three months since then and they've told us they can't do anything. Even the top experts in the world don't know anything about this extraordinary sickness. Whenever I visit my sister, she has a faraway look in those blue eyes and her skin is pale; the golden locks of hair atop her head are long gone. The sound of the cartoons playing on the television drowns out her ragged breathing except for when you sit close to her. Every night before I go to bed, I pray that the next day god will bring her back to me.

One day, I was visiting Gabby right after work. The air in the room around us was full of awkwardness and tension. Gabby was flipping through the channels when suddenly she turned the TV off. Her distant gaze made its way towards me. My heart sank at the hopeless look she gave me. How could such an awful thing happen to a thirteen year old? She still had her whole life ahead of her and she couldn't even live outside this hospital room. "Oh Gabby, I wish I knew how to help you. You may have been my annoying little sister, but I love you none the less." I said, tears welling up in my eyes as I held her frail hand. Her blue eyes pierced my hazel ones and I couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks.

"Knock, knock Ms. Reddens." Turning around, a scary looking African-American man stood in the door way. He wore all black, including his leather trench coat and cryptic looking eye patch. "You are Ms. Raylin Reddens, are you not?"

"Yes I am." I replied, letting go of Gabby's hand. "What can I do for you?"

"I am Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., a secret government ran counterterrorism and intelligence agency. It has been brought to my attention that your sister has a very odd illness." Looking over at Gabby, I found she had fallen back asleep.

"So? There is nothing you can do for her, Director Fury." I said plainly. "She's been like this for three months and there has been no improvement. I have paid world-renowned doctors to look at her, but their results have come back empty every time."

"You are absolutely right, Ms. Reddens. I can't do anything, but I know someone who can:" Fury stepped further into the room, closing the door behind him. "The one who created this degenerative disease."

"Wait just a minute. Someone created this disease?" I asked. Fury nodded and I looked out the window, anger boiling inside me. "Who would inflict such a cruel fate on a thirteen year old girl? On anyone!?"

"A very cruel being. You may have heard of the battle at Stark Tower in New York. I am also head of the Avengers initiative and brought together the group of heroes who fought that day. Some of my agents were present during the clean-up after the battle and fell ill after handling the remains of the Chitauri. After further examination of the extra-terrestrial remains, we discovered traces of an unknown chemical and through testing discovered it was an unknown neurotoxin that has the same function as many neurodegenerative diseases. Traces of this toxin was found in our sick agents. We heard of your sister through the news and are willing to move her to our top-notch medical facility until she the cure is found."

"This is all so much to handle." I replied. "But I don't want my sister going anywhere unless I can go too. She's all I have left since our parents died a few years back. Please don't take her away from me, Director."

"We at S.H.I.E.L.D. completely understand, Ms. Reddens. You are welcome to join her at the medical facility. Better yet, I am willing to hire you." My eyes opened wide at his words. "I hope you don't mind, but I've looked into your background and I found that you are a paramedic, are you not?"

"Well, yes..." I answered bashfully.

"And from what I've read is that you're one heck of a paramedic. S.H.I.E.L.D. has seen some pretty decent paramedics, but I believe you would make a great addition to the team." Oh how tempting this offer was. It had been a month since I was last called in for duty because of my sister's predicament. If I took this opportunity, not only would I be able to see my sister often, but I'd be back in the field doing the thing I love most: helping people. "You say yes now and we can move both of you to our base immediately."

"Do you mind stepping out of the room for a minute? I'd like to talk to my sister." Fury gave a polite nod and exited the room. I walked over to her bedside and kneeled down next to her, giving her a slight shake. Her eyes opened slowly and looked around until they landed on me. Smiling at her, I took one of her hands into mine. "Hey Gabbs, how would you like it if you could get better? I think you would like to get back to doing all the fun stuff we used to do." I told her, knowing she may not even be hearing me right now. She remained staring at me, that same empty look on her face. "We're moving to a new place with an even better hospital who can help you. They even know how to find the cure and offered me a job as a paramedic. We'd be able to see each other more. I know you'd like that, huh?"

Silence filled the room and I stared into her eyes. They had a twinkle in them that I hadn't noticed before. It was almost as if I could see what she was telling me in her eyes and what I saw shouted. _"Yes. I'd like that."_ Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, I let it go and walked over to the door and opened it. Fury was standing outside talking to a few people wearing all black clothing, and I assumed these were some agents of the agency. He noticed me and turned to face me.

"Have you decided, Ms. Reddens?"

Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "I accept."


	2. Chapter 2

A/n: Thanks for the follows/favorites. Here's the next chapter, my dear readers. Enjoy!

Chapter 2

Gabby was moved out of the hospital almost immediately. I wanted to go with her, but Fury told me to go home and get anything I needed and an agent would be there to pick me up in an hour. "See you soon, Agent Reddens." Fury gave me a curt nodded, then strode off. It was odd being called 'Agent', but I'm sure I'd get used to it in time. Taking a deep breath, I left the hospital and went home to collect some things.

I was Gabby's legal guardian after our parents' death and lived with me. We lived in Hoboken, New Jersey in a small neighborhood. Our house was decent sized and we lived happily. There was a nice middle school where we lived and she would have been in seventh grade if it wasn't for her getting sick. As soon as I got home, I grabbed everything I thought I'd need. My cell phone and its charger, half of my entire wardrobe, all of my shower products, and my scrapbook were all packed into two suitcases. Just when I thought I had everything, I thought of Gabby. One of the two suitcases I had packed wasn't completely filled, so I decided to go to her room and get some of her things. I grabbed her stuffed animal armadillo our parents had bought her a few years before their death, her cell phone and its charger, and three sets of her clothing then packed them as well.

Just as I finished zipping up the suitcases, a knock on the door told me it was time to go. Looking around my house, I picked up the suitcases only to set them down quickly. Hanging on the wall next to the front door was the last family picture we had taken before mom and dad died. Gabby wouldn't forgive me if I left that behind. I quickly grabbed it and shoved it into one of the suitcases. Just as the agent outside knocked on the door a second time, I opened it and dragged my suitcases out the door. "Are you ready to go, Agent Reddens? I am Agent Morrow and will be taking you to the S.H.I.E.L.D. base in New York where your sister is." the tall and muscular agent said, taking one of the suitcases from me.

"Ready as I'll ever be." I said, following him to the Hummer in front of my house. We loaded my suitcases and quickly departed. It would be an almost forty-five minute drive from Hoboken, where I lived, to New York City if the traffic wasn't too bad. It was a very quiet drive to the Big Apple and I spent most of it staring out the window, thinking about how my life in the base was going to be. Agent Morrow didn't even bother talking to me and I hoped that becoming an agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. would make me like him. Just as we crossed over from New Jersey into New York, I let out a loud audible sigh of boredom. _At least we'll be there soon..._

...

We finally reached the base in New York City and I could not wait to see how Gabby was doing in her new environment. Agent Morrow handed my suitcases to another agent and told them to take them to my room, the lead me into the base. "Director Fury asked me to show you around the base, then have you suited for duty. Do you have any questions for me, Agent Reddens?" _Now he talks..._

"When can I see my sister?" I asked.

"We're stopping at the medical bay first, for that one reason, but also because you will need to know its location when working." Morrow said. We had passed through a front office of sorts and he took me down a hallway with a set of double doors at the end of it. Inside those doors was the medical bay. Agents wearing lab coats sat at a desk or walking into the rooms of the current occupants. The bay was like every other hospital, spotless and had the distinct scent of disinfectant. Morrow asked one of the female agents at the desk for my sister's room. "Thank you. She's in that room right there." he said, nodding at room number 7 on my right. "I'll wait out here for you."

I thanked him and entered my sister's room. The walls were painted a crisp white that reminded me of freshly fallen snow. It was emptier than the public hospital, but I didn't think much of the simplicity of the room. It wouldn't do her any good, anyways, in her condition. I quickly went to her bed side and smiled at my little sister who was asleep at the minute. "Hey Gabby." I said, shaking her shoulder lightly. Her eyes fluttered open and looked up at me. "Hey there, sis. I'm here now, so I'll be seeing you a lot. I have to go, but I promise I will be back to eat dinner with you." Leaning down, I pressed a kiss on her forehead and left the room to continue the tour of the base.

...

Letting out a sigh, I sat down on the edge of my bed in my new room. After finishing the tour and getting my agent outfit, then eating dinner with Gabby, I was finally able to relax for a bit. Morrow told me that another paramedic would be here tomorrow morning to take me to be debriefed by Director Fury himself. I laid back and stared up at the ceiling, thinking over the entire day in my head. It was a miracle that I turned my life upside down for the better in just a matter of a day. Hopefully, this was going to be what saved my sister and give both of us our normal lives back. A smile lit up my face at the thought of being able to communicate and do things with my sister. After relaxing for a bit, I changed into my pajamas and went to bed with positive thoughts for the next day.

A/n: Hope you guys enjoyed. Please review and let me know what you think! Andimpink out! Peace!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next day, I woke up at five thirty and prepared myself for the day of hard work ahead of me. After showering, I put the suit I received yesterday on and pulled my copper hair into a bun at the back of my neck. My room had everything I needed to live comfortably, including a kitchen where I sat and ate a bowl of cereal that was in the pantry. Along with the living space, I was given a fully stocked pantry and refrigerator. Once I finished my breakfast of frosted flakes, I brushed my teeth and waited for the agent I was told would come and take me to be debriefed. For a moment, I thought about checking in on Gabby, but I knew that I probably didn't have the time.

"Agent Reddens." Someone knocked on the door. "I'm here to take you to the debriefing." I stood from the chair I was sitting in and answered the door. Outside my room stood a tall, skinny, auburn headed woman. Her thick auburn hair was pulled into a low pony at the nape of her neck and she was wearing the same agent suit that everybody else in this place wore. "I'm Agent Hayden Adams, pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Thank you." I said, closing the door behind me. "I'd introduce myself, but you already know who I am." She laughed and motioned for me to follow her as she started off down the hall.

"I'm part of the records department. It's my job to know just about everything about everyone who comes through the base, unless it's classified. My position can only know so much..." I rolled my eyes and held back from chuckling. Agent Adams was the only agent I had seen who was so... bubbly. Maybe that is why I seemed to like her a bit more than everyone else in this base. I knew right then that I'd be seeing more of her in the near future. We stopped outside a door and she turned to me, handing me the file that had been tucked under her arm the entire time. "Here is your mission file. The rest will be explained to you inside. Let's go."

Agent Adams scanned her identification card and the door opened. Once inside, the door shut and locked itself. A few other agents already sat around the large table in the middle of the room. I chose to sit next to Agent Hayden and waited for the rest of the group to arrive. As I sat there, I opened up the mission file I was given. I might as well read up on whatever I'm being assigned to. Inside the manila folder, there was a mission overview which stated I was being assigned to operation A.N.T.I.D.O.T.E. on the Helicarrier. A picture of said Helicarrier was included with the file and explained what exactly it was—an aquatic and air fairing mobile base. Apparently, I was assigned to the very mission that would find the cure for my sister's illness. Just as I got to the deeper details of the mission, Director Fury, who had entered the room at an unknown time, called for everyone's attention.

"Good morning agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. You have all been assigned to operation A.N.T.I.D.O.T.E., or operation acquire neurotoxin treatment intelligence and deliver outright treatment entirely. The neurotoxin in question resembles a mixture of neurotoxins found in the venom of a Deathstalker scorpion that fifteen agents and a civilian were exposed to. They were subjected to it through some form of physical contact with the Chitauri. After much research, we found that it was altered and much more deadly than the venom of the scorpion. It causes a coma like state that progresses overtime and eventually will lead to death of the victim. It can't be affected by any medicines or anti-venoms we have.

Sources tell us that the Chitauri could not gain or even create this neurotoxin on their planet with their technology and received it from an unknown source on Earth. We plan to find the creator of the neurotoxin, take them into custody, and question them in hopes of gaining valuable information that could be used to make a cure. Please take a look inside your folders for your mission occupation and report to your station on the Helicarrier for lift off at 1200 hours today. You're all dismissed." Nobody moved until Fury left the room. Agent Adams grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the room before everyone else.

"Are you excited?" she asked enthusiastically. "It's your first mission!"

"I guess I am..." I said. Gabby would be here, but I'd be off on this mission.

"Oh, oh, oh! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Agent Adams wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly. "I almost forgot about your sister. Why don't you go visit her before take-off? It's only," She looked at her watch. "Nine-thirty. You've got plenty of time."

"I will. Thanks Agent..." I started.

"Just call me Hayden." she said with a laugh. "We're practically best friends anyways. See you on the Helicarrier!" With that she bounded off down the hall in the opposite direction. A smile lit up my face at her uncontrollable excitement as I continued towards the medical bay. Just as I reached the doors the medical bay, they were thrown open and I was knocked down, hitting my head against the ground and spilling my folder all over the floor.

"Whoa there, big guy!" a guy said._ Big guy?_ "You just knocked her down."

"I know, Tony. Shut up." another guy replied with a growl in his voice. I had been too busy nursing the goose-egg beginning to appear on the back of my head to try and stand back up. So when someone grabbed one of my wrists and hoisted me up, I stumbled forward and ran into the chest of a man. Looking up with a blush of embarrassment on my face, I found myself looking into the most gorgeous pair of brown eyes hidden behind a pair of rimless reading glasses. He also had short wavy brown hair and wore a pair of khaki pants with a purple dress shirt. "You okay, miss?" he asked. I noticed I was still leaning against his chest and blushed as I stepped back.

"Yeah, besides this bump on the back of my head." I said, dropping my gaze to the floor where my papers were strewn. "Nothing a little ice and Advil won't fix." I dropped to my hands and knees and began collecting my papers. As I was gathering them, a neat stack was handed to me. I looked up to see the man I had run into. _I forgot he was still standing there..._ "Thank you..."

"Bruce. Bruce Banner." he said, giving me his name. "And you are?"

"Raylin Reddens." I gave him a smile. He handed me the last of my papers and I returned them to their folder, standing as I did so. The Tony guy who had been with Bruce when I was ran into was actually the great Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man. Every picture I had seen of the infamous owner of Stark Industries did not do him justice. I did not notice right away that I was staring at him until he gave a cough, making me jump. Mr. Stark gave me a smirk and shook his head. "What?" I questioned.

"Oh, nothing. Come on Banner, I have to go see Pepper before we leave." Bruce stood up and brushed himself off. He opened his mouth to talk, but Tony grabbed him and shoved him in the direction they had walked in originally.

"Tony," Bruce started with an annoyed tone, but was cut off.

"Um, it was nice meeting you, but lover boy and I really must be going. Ta-ta!" With that, Tony wrapped an arm around Bruce's shoulder and practically dragged Bruce down the hall and around the corner. _Where does he come up with those awful nicknames for Bruce? Stark? More like Tony Snark... _That was... well, rather odd to say the least, yet amusing. I hoped I'd run into Bruce again, though most likely would not due to the mission. Shrugging my shoulders, I pushed the doors the med bay open and went straight to my sister's room after asking for some ice for my head. Holding the ice to my head, I sat next to her bed and became silent, thinking of what I was going to tell her.

"Gabby, I know you probably can't hear me right now, but I just want to tell you I'm going to be gone for a while." I began, watching her stare at me with that same blank expression she always had. "I know I told you I'd see you even more with this new job, but I didn't expect to be sent away so soon. Listen, if you can, I promise I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't worry about a thing and be good for these nice people who take care of you. I love you more than life itself." I gave her a kiss on the forehead then held her hand until ten forty-five when I left for the Helicarrier.

**...**

It was eleven forty-five now and my map of the Helicarrier was doing me no good. Nor were the signs on the walls that pointed in different directions. I looked at the map one more time and decided to set off down a random hall, hoping it would lead me to the med bay. I passed by literally no one and got the feeling I chose the wrong thing to do. I decided to change my path and turned to go down a different hall... but ran right into Bruce. We both stumbled backwards and managed to balance ourselves. "Two times in one day." I laughed, watching as Bruce's tan cheeks turned a little red. _Who knew?! He's assigned to this mission too! Surprise, surprise!_

"I'm so sorry, Raylin. At least you didn't fall down again." he said. "Aren't you supposed to be reporting to your station?"

"I'm a little lost, to be honest. You wouldn't know where the med bay is, would you?" I asked.

"Actually, I do. I'll take you there." Bruce began walking down the hall he came from and I followed closely. "Are you new to S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Yeah. Director Fury hired me as a paramedic when my sister was moved to the base's medical facility." I said. "She's really sick and it's all because of the stupid Chitauri. When we find whoever provided them with that neurotoxin, I am personally going to rearrange his or her kneecaps." Bruce laughed and shook his head.

"You probably won't get to face the person, but I will not feel sorry for them if you do." We took a turn down another hall and another agent passed us by. Finally we had made it back to civilization!

"What do you do? Your choice of clothing tells me you are not an agent." He was still wearing the khakis and purple dress shirt. From what I had seen and was wearing at the minute told me he was not an agent. "Well?" He looked at me out the corner of his eye.

"I'm a scientist. My expertise is with gamma radiation, but I work with other things." he answered. "For a while, I was a doctor in Calcutta, India. I helped the families that could not afford to travel to the city for medical attention. It wasn't a very well-paying job, but it was enough to live somewhat comfortably." Is there anything else completely amazing about this man? If he told me he adopted homeless children, I'd probably faint from pure adoration. "Well, here we are." I was a little sad that we had to go different directions, but did not doubt that we'd see each other soon. "Next time we see each other, I'll try to not run you over."

"I'll hold you to that." Holding my hand out to him, he took it and shook my soft hand with his calloused hands from all that tough science stuff he did. "Thank you, by the way."

"No problem. See you." With that, Bruce walked off. Taking a deep breath, I turned and entered the medical bay. Some of the medical staff directed me to my station, a small office with cabinets filled with necessary medical products and two boxes already filled with emergency equipment for when I was needed. An agent came through the medical bay, telling everyone to find a designated take off seat and get buckled in until we were in the air. Just as we lifted off the ground, I took a look out the window in my office to see New York City growing smaller as we rose. _See you soon, New York. See you soon, Gabby._

**A/n: At the request of Destiny Xavier16, I am going to make chapters longer. Destiny, I hope this satisfies you as well as everyone else. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review and let me know if it did!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/n: Hey everyone! How is your holiday season going? I'll finally be on Christmas break after tomorrow which means I'll probably update a bit more frequently. Hope you are all ready for this chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 4**

We were now miles from New York, flying across the Atlantic Ocean. Until I was needed, I could pretty much do whatever I wanted as long as I carried my radio with me, but I did not want to lose myself in the Helicarrier like I had done earlier. It would not do me any good to get lost again. So to pass the time, I took an inventory of all of my supplies, counting every single item and making sure I recorded the numbers so I could get restock the correct amount when needed. Taking the inventory did not take me more than fifteen minutes, so now I was back to having nothing to do.

I poked my head out of my office and saw a nurse sitting at the desk just outside. She was tapping her fingers on the desk and looking around lazily. Much like me, she appeared bored out of her mind. Checking to make sure I had my radio strapped to my belt, I left my office and walked over to the nurse. When I leaned on the counter, she looked up at me and smiled. "Hello. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No..." I started, but changed my mind. "Actually, yes. You could give me something to do while I wait for a call." The nurse laughed and shook her head, causing her long blonde ponytail to flail about.

"You must be the new paramedic, Agent Reddens, was it?" I nodded and she smiled. "Welcome aboard, Agent Reddens. I'm Agent Harmony Abernathy. You can call me Harmony."

"Then I insist you call me Raylin. Anyways, is it always this... boring?" I asked.

"Depends. If we're expecting an attack or if we are being attacked, it is always super busy around here, but that's not the case now. You do know that you could leave your station as long as you carry your radio with you." Harmony stretched in her chair and rested her elbows on the desk.

"I know, I just don't want to get lost in this place. Bruce Banner helped me get here before take-off." When I said Bruce's name, Harmony's eyes grew wide. "Did I say something?"

"The Bruce Banner? As in, Dr. Banner?" she asked. I nodded slowly and she gasped. "I've never met the man, but I don't think I'd want to. Especially since he's always angry."

"He didn't seem angry when I was with him. Is that normal for him? Being angry?" I asked, feeling very confused. Harmony stared at me, shock evident in her eyes. "Am I missing something here?"

"You do know who Dr. Banner is, right?" Harmony questioned. I stared blankly at her and she leaned close to me, saying something just above a whisper. "He's the..."

"What?"

Harmony rolled her eyes and repeated herself. "He's the Hulk." My eyes widened and Harmony leaned back. I couldn't believe that I had met the most fearsome of the Avengers. The strange thing was, I didn't imagine that the Hulk was anything but a giant green guy and definitely not Bruce Banner. "Shocking, huh? I was stationed here when Loki was being tracked down and met the man myself. He was very quiet, but I knew what he hid inside him."

"Wait just a minute." I said. "The Hulk lives inside Bruce?" Harmony nodded. "That is... well, quite interesting. He didn't seem like a very threatening person when I met him."

"You can't tell that the Hulk is there, at least not until he gets angry." Harmony said, playing with a pen on the desk. "If I were you, I'd try to not anger him." Suddenly, my radio beeped and I picked it up, pressing the answer button.

"Agent Reddens." I said, walking away from Harmony and back to my office.

"Agent Reddens, Director Fury wishes to see you. Report to the control room immediately." Clipping my radio back to my belt, I exited my office and went back to talk to Harmony. She looked up from her computer and smiled.

"Hey," I started. "Do you maybe have a map or layout of the Helicarrier I could have?" She laughed and opened up drawer, pulling out a sheet of paper with exactly what I needed. "Thank you."

"No problem. I had trouble my first time too." she replied. "See you around." With that, I looked at my map and figured out my route to the control room. It took me about five minutes to get to the control room, but I made it none the less. The control room was full of agents, all of them sitting at high-tech computers, monitoring the ship and other important things. Director Fury stood on a platform in the middle of the room and I quickly made my way over to him.

"Director, you needed me?" Fury turned around at my question.

"Yes, Ms. Reddens. Since we are not exactly in need of your services at the minute, I thought to ask you if you have any combat experience." Fury answered.

"I took a self-defense class a few years back. Every once in a while, I hit the gym and work on my technique, but really haven't as of recently." With everything going on with Gabby, I didn't have the time to work out at all. I didn't really have time for anything besides working, seeing Gabby, and taking care of myself.

"Fury, you wanted me?" Turning around, I laid my eyes on a red-haired agent walking over. It took me a bit, but I recognized her from the New York battle.

"Ah, yes. Natasha, this is Agent Raylin Reddens." Fury said. "Agent Reddens, this is Natasha Romanoff, one of S.H.I.E.L.D's best agents. She is going to train you in hand-to-hand combat as well as teach the basics of using a gun. Since you are an agent, it is important for you to know these skills in the instance of an attack. We don't have the time to hire new agents so we try to keep them as long as we can."

"Hello, Agent Romanoff." I said, holding my hand out for her to shake. She quickly took it and gave me a small smile.

"Pleased to meet you, Agent Reddens." she said. "Fury, I'll take it from here. Follow me, Agent Reddens." Fury waved the two of us off and I followed Natasha as she walked out of the control room. "Agent Reddens, have you ever had any training?"

"Nothing besides a self-defense class I took a few years ago." I answered. She stopped in front of a door and slid her identification card in the card reader. The reader beeped twice and the door opened. I followed her inside and looked around the room. It was a gym of sorts, with a mat for hand-to-hand combat and what looked like a shooting range. "Is that going to be a problem? Me not knowing too much?"

"It will help a bit, but you still will need how to actually fight and use a gun." Natasha walked onto the mat and beckoned me to do the same. "For now, I just want to test what you know. So get up here and we can start."

**...**

Rubbing my shoulder as I walked into the med bay, I noticed Harmony sitting at the desk again. Training with Natasha had been a lot tougher than I thought it would be. My memory of the self-defense class was a little iffy and I was quite rusty with my technique. So all in all, I did absolutely awful and got my butt whooped. My shoulders were killing me and I walked over to Harmony. "Hey there." I said. "Could you possibly get me some ibuprofen?"

"Sure." she said. "You look... tired."

"I was training. Apparently, being an agent means I need to know how to fight. So Fury asked Agent Romanoff to train me." I said as she stood and opened her drawer and pulled out a personal bottle of ibuprofen, opened it, then gave me two. I popped them into my mouth and swallowed them. "No wonder Fury said that she is the best agent S.H.I.E.L.D. has."

Harmony laughed and looked up at the clock. "Do you want to run to the cafeteria and get something to eat? I'm starving."

"Sure." Harmony came out from behind the desk and led me out of the med bay. We walked in silence down a few corridors, hopped into an elevator, then walked out of the elevator into a large room where agents sat at tables with food. Harmony and I joined the line of agents waiting to get some food. "Anyways, did anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

"No, not really..." Harmony said. "Oh wait! Actually something did happen. The most amazing person on this ship said hi to me."

"Oh, and who would that be?" I asked.

"Captain America." she sighed, her eye glittering with happiness. I gave Harmony a weird look and looked to see if the line was moving any faster. "You must think I'm silly. After all, I'm just a nurse and he's one of the Avengers."

"No, no, no!" I exclaimed. "It's not like that at all. I mean, I thought Bruce Banner was kind of... cute, so it's not that weird."

"Good. My best friend thinks that I'm crazy for liking him." Suddenly, from across the room, someone shouted. Looking over, I saw Hayden had been bumped into and her tray of food spilled on the ground. The poor guy who had bumped into her was shouted at and she stormed off in this direction. When she saw me, she smiled and waved, quickly running to stand next to me. "Speak of the devil." Harmony said.

"Hey Harmony." Hayden said. "I see you've met Raylin. She's pretty cool, huh? That dumb guy ran into me and made me drop my food. Do you know how angry that makes me?"

"Yeah, yeah." Harmony said. "How was your day, Hayden?"

"Pretty good, up until just a few minutes ago, but I'll live. You guys probably haven't gotten to do much since there isn't anything dangerous going on."

"Well, I did get to do some fighting." I said. "But that wasn't too much fun because I was being smacked around more than I was smacking around my opponent." Hayden snickered and I shoved her playfully. We soon arrived at the front of the line and got our dinner before going and sitting down at a table to happily eat our meal.

After dinner, Hayden, Harmony, and I all went to our separate quarters on the Helicarrier. My room was not as nice as the one back in New York, but it was still pretty nice. I had a large bathroom and a bedroom with a closet full of suits the same size as mine, as well as a bed. I went and showered before pulling out a suit that had shorter legs, which I assumed was supposed to be pajamas, and put it on. I crawled into my bed and laid there staring up at the ceiling. My mind wandered to thoughts of Gabby. I hoped she was doing alright and would be okay when I got back from this very important mission. Tears filled my eyes and I shut them tightly, trying to stop them from falling. Yes, I missed my sister, but I would not cry. I needed to stay strong for her. Turning onto my side, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

**A/n: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! R&R!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/n: Hello, hello! Next chapter! I apologize for not updating over Christmas break. I had a case of massive writers block. Really wish I could promise to update more and consistently, but I have other important things to do. Anyways, enjoy this chapter.**

**Chapter 5**

**Bruce's POV**

I returned to the lab after helping Raylin to the medical bay. As I sat down to begin working on a sample of blood from one of the patients fallen ill from the neurotoxin, I heard the automatic doors slide open. "Hey Bruce-y." Tony said as he sat on the stool next to me as I studied the sample under the microscope. He had blatantly invited himself aboard the Helicarrier while I helped to figure out just what this neurotoxin was capable of. I left for a few minutes when Tony excused himself to the restroom, needing a break from the smug billionaire. "Where were you? I went looking for you a few minutes ago and you weren't in this little lair of yours."

"I helped someone to the medical bay." I said, being very vague. Tony's question always needed to be answered vaguely or he'd twist them around in that head of his. Usually for the worst. Normally, if I answered briefly, he'd scoff or complain about not getting what he wanted to hear then run off, but he didn't. He continued to sit and watch me attempt to distract myself from his bothersome presence. A few minutes later, he was looking over my shoulder as I typed up all of my observations, uncomfortably close. "If you don't mind, I am working on something important."

"Oh yeah." he said, going back to his stool. "What are you working on anyways? Something to suppress the other guy so you can finally get..."

"No, actually." I interrupted, giving Tony a look of annoyance. I felt my heart speed up in my chest and I took a few deep breaths before continuing. Tony wouldn't leave me alone until I told him what I was working on. "I'm researching the neurotoxin that has infected at least fifty agents, as well as two citizens. One of those citizens happens to be a child." I brought up a file on the large screen to Tony's left and pointed at it without even looking. Tony read over it, giving me a few minutes of peace until he spoke again from right in front of the screen.

"Oh!" he said slowly. I let out a sigh and looked over at him. After hearing about Raylin's sister, I came straight back here and read everything I could about Gabby Reddens' condition. "The kid belongs to that agent you were flirting with earlier. She was the agent you were escorting, wasn't she?!"

"Gabby Reddens' condition is much different than the agent's or other citizen's. Let me show you." I put an image from the microscope up on the screen. It was the normal makeup of blood with the newly identified neurotoxin proteins. "This is blood from one of the agents infected with the neurotoxin." With a slide of my finger across the desk-top, another picture was added in next to the other one. "This is a sample of blood from Gabby Reddens." The mixture of the blood and neurotoxin was similar, but with a slight difference. "It looks the same, but I ran all of the samples through a few radiation tests. All of the samples came back negative for radiation except for Gabby's. The neurotoxin proteins in her blood stream were radiating small amounts of Gamma radiation."

"How is that significant?" I took my glasses off and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Is this person trying to create a mini-hulk?"

"I'm not quite sure yet, but I have no doubt that's what they're trying to accomplish. Listen Tony," He fiddled with some of the tools on the counter, distracted until I brought him back into my attention by taking the tools away. "Depending on how much more radiation gets into Gabby's blood stream, and how her body reacts to it, she could possibly die. She most likely will unless we figure out what exactly we are dealing with. Now that we have this information, I believe we need to go after this guy immediately."

"Shall I speak to Fury about reassembling?" I nodded. "I'll return in two shakes of the Hulk's fist." Rolling my eyes, I returned to studying the blood samples while Tony left the lab, whistling a peppy tune. Hopefully, the Hulk wouldn't have to shake his fist for any reason, literally or metaphorically.

**...**

**Raylin's POV**

Wiping the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand, I stumbled backwards. My breathing was fast and heavy as Agent Romanoff left her defensive stance. "Come on, Agent Reddens. Your opponent will not wait for you to catch your breath. Come at me again." Forcing my aching body to move, I charged at her and watched as she returned to her defensive stance again. I allowed my fist to fly, catching her in the forearm as she blocked and countered, swinging her leg around. It caught me in the side, causing me to wince as I already had a bruise there. "Don't give up. An agent never gives up taking down their target."

"I'm not a real agent, Agent Romanoff." I wheezed, trying to kick her in the thigh. She caught my foot in her hand and pulled me off of my other foot. As I went to get up, she placed one of her feet on my chest and pressed down gently. "Get off of me." She pressed harder. "I said..." Grabbing her foot around the ankle, I yanked as hard as I could, preforming the same tactic she used on me. Agent Romanoff fell backwards with a soft thud against the mat. I quickly scrambled to my hands and knees, crawling over my opponent. I held her arms down against the ground, practically sitting on her abdomen.

"Good..." she said. Suddenly, her legs came up around me and threw me off of her body. Before I knew it, she was on top of me and pinning me to the ground. I struggled to break free, but my tired and aching body would not allow it. "But not good enough." Natasha got off of me and walked away, leaving my exhausted self to get up on my own. When she came back, she stared down at me unapprovingly. "You still have a long ways to go, Reddens. Not only have we barely started training, but you underestimate your ability. If you worked harder, we wouldn't have to be in here. I wouldn't be kicking your sorry butt all the time either."

"Well, I'm sorry!" I snapped, pulling myself off the ground slowly. Somehow I managed to remain standing as I faced the red-haired super-agent. "We can't all be like you, Romanoff. I am doing absolutely everything I can to get better at this. When you started, I highly doubt that you were as good as you are now, unless you were born that way. I'm going through a whole lot of stuff you wouldn't understand and it's constantly worrying me. So lay off of me a little, okay?!" Not even waiting for her to respond, I left the training room as fast as my overworked body allowed.

Tears stung my eyes as I walked down the halls of the Helicarrier. I could feel them begin to well up and I knew that when I reached my room, I wouldn't be able to hold them back. My worry for Gabby was worse today than it had ever been. I would love to be back at the base right now, holding Gabby's hand as she slept peacefully. When she awoke, I'd give her a small smile and give her hand a comforting squeeze. She'd most likely cough in an attempt to speak and I'd shush her, telling her that I was perfectly fine. I wondered if she was missing me as much as I am missing her...

In my emotional state, I hadn't been paying attention to where I was going. Now I was confused on where I was on this freaky piece of flying junk. Pulling my map out, I found the training room and tried tracing my steps. Looking around, I didn't see anything that would indicate my location. Completely alone in this hall, I sat down against the wall allowing the first tear to fall. Then the next and the next until my face was soaked. Silent sobs wracked my body as I pressed my forehead against my knees, shaking endlessly. "I am a wreck." I cried quietly to myself. "A hopeless, weak, emotional wreck." When my tears stopped, I rose to my feet and decided to navigate the halls without the map.

Eventually, I came upon the medical bay and knew my way from there. I continued on my way, now using my map and memorizing everywhere I went. My last stop on my walk was the main lab. Marking it on my map as I stood in front of the locked doors, I smiled then turned to go find something to eat. As I was beginning to walk away, the lab doors behind me opened and I looked over my shoulder to see a very exhausted looking Bruce Banner exit the lab. I thought about what Harmony had told me the other day. _He is the Hulk._ That conversation hadn't bothered me as much as it should have. Normally, I probably wouldn't speak with him again unless it was absolutely necessary, but I wanted to do the exact opposite of normal. Turning around, I spoke to the worn out man. "You look like you've been working hard." Bruce looked up at me and nodded, the corners of his mouth slightly turning up into an attempt at a smile. "How about getting something to eat? We could get some coffee to wake you right up. You're practically sleeping on your feet."

"I was actually about to..." he trailed off, a thoughtful look crossing his face. Whatever he was going to say was completely forgotten as he straightened his posture and walked over to stand next to me. "Actually, I think some food would do me good. I'm not a coffee person though. So, shall we head down to the cafeteria?"

"Let's go." I said, putting a little hop into my step. Bruce stayed about a step behind me as we walked, his footsteps were silent against the black linoleum. His silence set me on edge, not knowing what he was thinking about or not thinking about. "So... what kind of lab work has you so fried?"

"It's not so much the lab work that caused me to be this wiped out. I've been up all night studying the neurotoxin." He gave a small laugh. "This isn't the first time I've pulled an all-nighter in the lab, so you shouldn't think much of it."

"Oh." As I went to speak again, an intercom hanging on the wall beeped, then an agent spoke.

"Dr. Banner, Mr. Stark, and Agent Romanoff please report to the control room. Director Fury has requested your immediate presence. Agent Reddens, your presence has also been requested. Thank you." With that the agent hung up and I looked over at Bruce who was looking at me as well.

"We should probably get going." he said, starting to walk back towards the lab where there was a hall leading to the control room. My stomach growled in protest but I knew that eating would have to wait. I caught up with Bruce and we headed to the control room together. "By the way, I didn't want to say anything, but you look like you've been crying." I didn't reply to his blunt statement. We soon arrived at the control room where Director Fury and Agent Romanoff were already waiting. Mr. Stark hadn't arrived yet, but I didn't doubt that he would show up fashionably late.

As soon as he walked in, and cracked some stupid joke, Fury turned to all of us. "You have all been called here because we may know who supplied or made the neurotoxin that is affecting our agents as well as Agent Reddens' sister. Dr. Banner, I understand that you found that the neurotoxin proteins were emitting low levels of gamma radiation in Gabby Reddens' blood sample."

"Yes." Bruce answered.

"Radiation!?" I exclaimed. "Is she alright? Is Gabby alright, Director Fury?"

"Agent Reddens, your sister is fine since it is low levels of radiation. Our staff back at the base are watching her a lot closer now." Relief flooded into me. I breathed a little deeper now, trying to calm myself down. If I didn't, I was positive that I would burst into tears. "We now know that whoever the creator of the neurotoxin has experience with gamma radiation. I had a search done over every known gamma radiation expert or researcher. Our search left us with only a handful of scientists that fit what we were looking for you. So far, my money is on one Samuel Sterns..."

"Samuel Sterns?" Bruce interrupted, an annoyed look coming across his face.

"He is the most suspicious of our person search, Dr. Banner. I recall now that you are familiar with him." Fury said. I was a bit confused and felt like asking what this was all about, but didn't have time to because Bruce began to shake violently. Suddenly, the room was abuzz with panic. The entire control room was full of shouts and agents ran about. Director Fury and Agent Romanoff had made a hasty retreat. Tony had disappeared, leaving me to watch the exciting yet horrendous scene unfold. Bruce was growing, his skin becoming green as the lawn of the White House and when the transformation had finished, the Hulk let out an angry roar. My feet were planted to where I stood and I heard screaming. Soon I realized that the screaming was my own and that is when the Hulk looked down at me, his familiar brown eyes gazing upon me as I shrieked in fear. Before I knew what was happening, the Hulk's hand was reaching toward me...

**A/n: Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but no worries. I've already started working on the next chapter, so I hopefully will have it up soon. Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Raylin's POV**

My mouth closed instantly as the Hulk wrapped his hand gently around my tiny body. I was lifted off the ground and brought before the Hulk's enormous face. Everyone had escaped the control room, making me the only person in the room. My heart was pounding violently against my chest as I felt the Hulk's breath upon my face like the wind. Even I if I wanted to, I couldn't wiggle my out of his grip, afraid that he'd crush me as if I were a gnat if I tried. He was entirely the Hulk, except for those big brown eyes. Those were Bruce's eyes entirely and as I was held before them, I could see Bruce behind them. Shakily, I called to him. "Bruce?"

"No Bruce." The Hulk frowned and I felt his grip tighten just a little bit, but not enough to make me hurt. I had no knowledge that the Hulk could talk, although he sounded like a young child. "Me Hulk." Very much like a young child.

"Oh, how rude of me." I said, laughing nervously. "Hulk, I am Raylin and I'd really like to talk to Bruce. Can I speak with him?"

"Why speak with Bruce? Why no speak with Hulk?" the Hulk questioned. "Hulk like to speak. Bruce no let Hulk speak." I felt a little bit sorry for the Hulk. I didn't know Bruce very well, but it seems that he thinks the Hulk is something he should be ashamed of. "Hulk no allowed to speak with Bruce either."

"Bruce shouldn't treat you like that. How does this sound," He cocked his head to the side, curiosity swirling in his eyes. "What if I talk with you? Would you like that, Hulk?"

Hulk fell silent as he thought for a moment or two. "Hulk like to talk. What Raylin want to talk about?" I felt a smile tug at my lips. Maybe the Hulk isn't so bad after all...

"First things first, Hulk. I want to be set down, if you wouldn't mind." I said. It was beginning to get a little warm in his giant hand. "No offense, but being held like a doll isn't very comfortable."

"Oh! Hulk sorry." A little too quickly, he brought his hand down to the ground and I stumbled out of his grip when his hand opened. I balanced myself and turned around to face Hulk. "Hulk just no like screaming. Scares Hulk and makes him mad."

"I am sorry for screaming, Hulk. I was just scared, so I know how you feel." I said, watching Hulk kneel down. If he wanted to, he could just sit down but I didn't feel like telling him to do anything directly. "So..."

"Bruce want control again. He wants to go work in lab." Hulk said. He frowned again and continued to speak. "Hulk no like lab. Lab too boring. Hulk no know why Bruce like lab. Raylin know why Bruce like lab?"

"Not exactly, no." I answered. "Maybe he likes helping people and that's why he works in the lab. What he does helps people, Hulk. Bruce is trying to help people like my sister."

"Why sister need help? Raylin sister sick?" Hulk asked.

"She is sick. She is very sick. So are a lot of other people." I replied, an idea popping into my head. "Hulk, Bruce needs to go back to the lab. He needs to work on helping my sister and the others. They might die if they don't get help soon." I watched as the Hulk's face contorted in thought. It was amazing. Who knew that a thing such as the Hulk could be so expressive?

"Alright. Hulk let Bruce work in lab." A feeling of success ran through me. "But only if Hulk can speak with Raylin again."

"Absolutely. You are always welcome to speak with me." With those words, I watched as the Hulk began to shrink. His green skin slowly becoming Bruce's lightly tanned color. As soon as he was done returning to his normal form, I rushed to his side. Bruce lay there, unconscious, and I set to work takin his vital signs. Remembering my radio, I grabbed it and pressed the call button, holding it down as I spoke. "This is Agent Reddens. The Hulk has been subdued and I need a stretcher down here in the control room. Dr. Banner is unconscious"

"Raylin, that stretcher is on its way." Harmony's sweet voice replied. A few minutes later, agents flooded the room as well as Director Fury and Tony Stark. Director Fury was busy assessing the damage done by the Hulk's massive size. Tony brought me the stretcher and I thanked him as I moved Bruce onto it carefully. I pulled the covers over him, noticing just then that Bruce was completely naked. Being a paramedic, I was used to this kind of thing and didn't think much of it when I had to face it. When I began to push the stretcher towards the med bay, I found that Tony was following behind me.

"Do you need something, Mr. Stark?" I asked, keeping my fast pace. "I am on duty."

"How did you do it?"

"How did I do what, Mr. Stark?" He laughed and I felt like turning around and slapping him.

"Calm the big guy down, of course! I've read his file and nothing has been able to do what you managed to do." Tony said. "Bruce has worked on creating something to suppress the Hulk, but hasn't succeeded. Now you come along and just talk him into reverting back to Bruce. That is no simple task, Agent Reddens."

"Talking is a simple task, Mr. Stark." I replied, as the doors to the med bay slid open. Waiting on the other side was Harmony and a few other nurses. They took the stretcher and I watched as they took him into one of the empty rooms. When the door closed, I turned to Tony. "The Hulk is just as human as Bruce is. He wants human contact, Mr. Stark. I suppose Bruce is ashamed of that part of him and the Hulk suffers because of that. It isn't right what Bruce is doing to him. Trying to suppress him, keep him from coming out is wrong. The Hulk deserves to be allowed to do something than lay dormant inside of Bruce or whatever it is like to be him."

"Tell that to Director Fury, Agent Reddens. Or better yet," Tony walked towards the med bay doors. "Tell that to the big guy." With that, he spun on his heel, exiting the room. Anger welled up inside me and I stalked into my office, throwing myself into the chair in it. It wasn't right and Tony knew that. I could see it in his eyes, but he probably was right. Director Fury wouldn't be happy about the Hulk being allowed to frolic through a city, doing whatever he wanted. Based on what the Hulk told me about Bruce, Bruce wouldn't like that either.

A moment later, Harmony appeared in my doorway with a worried expression on her face. "You alright, Raylin?" she asked, leaning against the doorway. "That was one of the scariest things I've ever seen. Everybody thought you were a goner."

"You saw what was going on in there?" I questioned. Harmony nodded.

"They wanted to keep tabs on what was going on and it would benefit the medical staff to see the mechanism of injury if needed." Harmony replied, taking a seat next to me. "I was so worried that the Hulk would throw you across the room, but you calmed him down. How did you do that, Raylin? If I had been in your place, I probably wouldn't be here."

"I just treated the Hulk like I would treat any other person." Harmony shrugged her shoulders. "You wouldn't get it unless you heard how he was talking. He is being wronged by Bruce, Harmony. All he wants is to be treated like part of Bruce, not the part that Bruce shoves away. I can't explain it, but I just feel like there is more to the Hulk than the anger Bruce connects him with."

"I suppose that could be true. If that's what you think, than I don't see a reason not to believe you. Anyways," Harmony stood from the chair next to me, placing her hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. A comforting gesture. "If you need anything, you know where to find me." With that, Harmony left my office. Rising from my seat, I decided that I felt like checking up on Bruce. Harmony hadn't said anything about his condition while she was here, which had me a little worried. So I left my office and headed to the room where they took Bruce.

I knocked on the door, earning no response. Shrugging my shoulders, I slowly pushed the door open and entered the pristine room. Bruce was now in hospital gown, sitting up in the bed. He looked over at me, only to look away. "Raylin, why are you here?"

"I just wanted to check up on you. After all, it was me who rushed you here after..." I didn't know how to say it in a way that wouldn't possibly upset him. "Well, you know. Do you normally become unconscious after that happens?"

"Yep."

"Oh. Do you remember what happens when..."

"It depends on what he wants me to remember, which drives me crazy." Bruce shifted his positon, lying back down and staring up at the ceiling. "In most cases, I don't remember a thing. This time, all I can remember is the screaming..." Bruce trailed off and I walked over to stand by the bed. I placed my hand on his arm, causing him to flinch. My first instinct was to take a large step backwards, but my arm was caught by his hand.

"Bruce..." I started.

"Don't." he said, turning his head to look me in the eyes. "I apologize for that. Listen, I'm very tired and I'd like to get out of here as soon as I can. I really need to get back to the lab. Thanks for your worry, but I am perfectly fine." Bruce let go of my arm and I left the room, feeling more conflicted than when I went in.

**Third Person POV**

Two men sat in a darkened room, the only light coming from the large computer system they were using. The screen showed pictures of every one of their victims and their vital signs. One of the men pulled up an image of their youngest victim and chuckled. "We're finally getting somewhere." he said to the other, clapping him on the shoulder. "Before you know it, we'll have our very own super-soldier. Just like we planned, sir." His partner in crime remained silent for a few minutes, only speaking when he felt like breaking the empty and intense silence.

"It is only one, though. One soldier will not do well." Turning away from the screen, he walked over to a desk covered with many vials of a greenish liquid. He picked one of the vials up and studied it. "We must continue building our army, doctor. I want to be able to strike this filthy world within no more than a year."

"A year? That is practically impossible, sir. We don't have enough of the neurotoxin produced to build the army to the size you have asked for. Secondly, we don't have enough subjects. The toxin is completely useless against adults, causing them only to be terminally ill. Last of all, not all subjects will react the same to the toxin and radiation. At most, this will probably take around four to five years." Suddenly, the man holding the vial crushed it and threw it to the ground. He stalked over to the doctor, picking the man up by lapels of his stained lab coat. The man was lifting him with inhuman strength, holding him high above his own head.

"That is not good enough. You follow my orders to the exact point." the man sneered. The doctor stared at threatening blue eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. This was no man...no. This was no _immortal _to trifle with. Whatever he was asked to do, he would do it in fear of his life and love for science." I don't care how you do it, but I want the neurotoxin improved and its effects sped up. As for the subjects we require, leave it to my men. We will work something out. Your only worry is the matter of improving the neurotoxin and if I am not impressed, I will take things into my own hands." Dropping his employee, he gave him a good kick to the side before stalking out of the room.

The doctor dragged himself to his feet, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart. He ran his fingers through his hair and turned to the image of one Gabby Reddens. That was where he needed to start his new research. She was the first to react successfully to the neurotoxin. Viewing only her vital signs was not adequate to helping him improve his homemade neurotoxin. He needed her here at the lab to see how she was reacting externally to the concoction. Wiping his bangs out of his face, he left the room to find his employer's slaves and give them directions to retrieve the girl from S.H.I.E.L.D.S. base in New York.

**A/n: Two chapters in a matter of hours. I am on a roll! Woo-hoo!**


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